William t



(No Model.) W. T. TAYLOR.`

SEED OOTION ELEVATOR AND CLEANER.-

No. 281,808. Patented 88,11. 8, 1884.

Unirse tirarse VZILLIAM T. TAYLOR, OF W'HITAKERS, NGRTH GARULINA.

SEED-COTTGN ELV/TOR GLEAN?.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,806, dated January 8, 1584. Application filed November 1, 1383. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vhita kers, North Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Seed-Cotton Elevators and Cleaners, of which the following` is a speciiication.

My invention relates to an improvement in elevators and cleaners intended especially for use in handling and cleaning seed cotton, though applicable to the transfer of grain.

The object of the invention is to furnish an elevator that, by reason of its peculiar construction and novel attachments, will, during the operation of elevating and conducting to a desired point, free the fiber from any dust, sand, gravel, or the like that may have found its way into the material.

The invention consists of an exhaust-chamber having an inlet-opening provided with a tube for conducting the cotton into the said chamber, and a connected discharge-tube provided with means, as hereinafter described, for separating` and carrying off the foreign matter from the product.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal horizontal section, and Fig. 3 is a detail view, of my improved partition for directing the discharge and cleaning the cotton.

In these drawings, A represents the main supporting-beams of the apparatus, in which are stepped the uprights a, to which, in turn, are secured the cross-bars b. These bars I) havebearings formed in their upper faces, in which is secured the fanshaft B, which extends a sufficient distance into the fan-chamber C to form a firm seat for the fan D. f he shaft B has integral therewith a drum, d, for the reception of a belt from any power which may be used in the working of the device. The fan-chamber is formed between two pairs of the uprights a, and is formed of air-tight walls provided with inlet and outlet openings for the material to be operated upon. It is provided with an inclined door or bottom for conducting off any gravel or the like, as will be described hereinafter. The exhauster used is preferably a fan, though when desired an dunder some circumstances, it may be an air-pum p and dischargetube.

or equivalent device. In practice I have found that a fan having wings of the form shown is specially adapted for my purpose, for the reason that the clogging around the seated end of the wings (naturally ensuing when the wings extend at'right angles from the axle) is avoided by reason of its sliding over the surface of the fans when they are curved and extend in a direction diverse to that ofthe motion of the fan. The opening for the inlet of the cotton is situated approximately opposite the center of the eye ofthe fan, so that the material, which is elevated with considerable velocity, does not strike the individual wings of t-he fan, but has its momentum partially arrested by striking the eye ofthe fan, which can be made of a strength to successfully withstand the wear. The tube leading to this inlet-opening is preferably pliable, and provided with a bell-mouth, adapting it to be readily and effectually manipulated at its lower end. The cleaning of the cotton is accomplished by the construction of and in the eXhaust-cl'iamber The discharge-tube is secured at one end of the exhaust-chamber by an air-tight joint. It has near this point of connection an opening in the bottom for the escape of any foreign substance of a greater specific gravity than the cotton, which may become separated from the cotton by the ac tion of the fan and conducted by the inclined floor of the exhaust-chamber. This opening is provided with a wire screen or grating to keep any cotton fiber from being carried down with the refuse substances. The tube E is provided with several openings to facilitate a discharge at any point desired in its length. These openings are closed, when not in use, by tight-fitting slides or doors, so as to render the inner face of the tube continuous and unbroken for the passage of the cotton. NVhen it is desired to discharge, I connect a second tube at any one of these openings, one of the panels being previously removed, and the tube G (shown in Fig. .3) is inserted. This forms both a mea-ns for directing the course of the cotton and for cleaning the same from any dust that may be carried in it. The second tube is provided with an extension, G', of a sizeto completely iill the opening of the tube E. This extension has a series of openings of a size and number adapting it for the ready escape of sufficient air to carry off what dust may be in the cotton, but not enough to form a draft sufficiently strong to carry the heavier cotton against the,l partition with any force. In order to form a smooth surface over the holes in the partition, so as to form no iinpediment vto the progress of the cotton, I secure across the face ofthe said partition a wire screen, which does not affect the draft, which has been prearranged by the size and number of the holes, but forms a much smoother surface than would the perforated partition.

In the operation of the device power is applied to the shaft through the medium of a belt running on the drum d, and the fan is given a motion in the direction ofthe arrows, Fig. 1. The air is exhausted from the chamber almost simultaneously with the starting of the fan, and as suction is formed, which elevates the cotton through the inlettube, the cotton ascends rapidly through the inlettnbe and strikes with sufcient force against the fan to separate the ber and allow the denser foreign matter to gravitate to the floor of the chamber, by the incline of which floor it is carried to the discharge opening e. rllhe cotton passes from the chamber into the dischargetube, which conducts it to any one of the openings at which the partition and second tube may be placed. Whatever dust and light dirt may remain in the product up to this time are carried out through the openings in the partition, and the cotton is carried through the second tube by the strong current in that direction to the point of deposit.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A cotton elevator and cleaner consisting` of an exhaust-chamber provided with inletopening and an outlet-tube, said outlet-tube being provided with cleaning devices, substantially as described.

2. A cotton elevator and cleaner consisting of an exhaust-chamber having inlet-opening and outlet-tube, said outlet-tube being provided with the grated opening e, as and for the purpose described.

3. A cotton elevator and cleaner consisting of an exhaust-chamber provided with inletopening and an outlet-tube, said tube being provided with the perforated partition, for directing the course of the cotton and providing for the escape of the dust, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in a device for elevat ing and cleaning cotton, of the exhaust-cham` ber, provided with inclined floor and an inletopening, and the fan, substantially as described.

5. A cotton elevator and cleaner consisting of an exhaust-chamber having inlet and outlet tubes, the outlet-tube being provided with the grated opening e and openings in the sides of the tube, to admit of the discharge of the cotton at any desired point, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the tube E, having openings, as described, of the tube G, adapted to be joined to the said tube E and form a continuous conduit for the cotton, the tube G being provided with the perforated extension G for directing the course of the cotton and A.llowing the escape of the dust, substantially as' described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witn esses.4

W. T. TAYLOR.

Vitiiesses: Y

DAVID H. MEAD, A. B. BRowNn. 

